Refrigerator-car



(No Model.) J. H. WIGKES.

REFRIGERATOR GAR.

No. 431,221. Patented July 1. 1890.

ma wams versus c'u., Puurs-nwo., wAsnwmnu, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. YVICKES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

REFRIGERATOR-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,221, dated uly 1, 1890.

Application tiled September 1lI 1889. Serial No. 323,672. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, .I AMES I-I. VICKES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester,i11 the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Cars, which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a plan view of a car embodying my present invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same, taken on the line l l of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detail perspective showing one of the covers to the ice-openings in the car-roof partially broken away; Fig'. 4, a detail section of the A car-roof, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5, a detail cross-section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are on the same scale, but considerably enlarged Vfrom that of Figs. l and 2.

My present invention relates to refrigerator-cars substantially like those heretofore 'patented by me in Letters Patent Nos. 247,07 5

and 279,062; and the object of the improvement is to provide ready means whereby these cars may be easily adapted for use as freelyventilated cars for the transportation of fruit and other like products.

I will describe in detail the construction of so much of the car as is necessary to an understanding of the construction and operation of my present invention, and will then point out definitely in claims the special improvements which I believe to be new and wish to protect by Letters Patent.

The improvement is intended primarily for application to refrigerator-cars constructed, mainly, like those described and shown in my prior patents, No. 247,975, of October 4, 1881, and No. 279,062, of June 5, 1883. It will not be necessary, therefore, to describe in detail the entire car, as for the main features I refer to the said patents.

I will simply mention here that in the drawings the ice-receptacles are shown in the respective ends of the car, which is the arrangen l ment I prefer, and that the construction of ture does not constitute a part of my present invention.

In the drawings, A represents the body of the car, in the interior of which at each end is made the cooling or refrigerating chamber B, within which are set theice-tanks C, and below these is the wire-mesh box D, with an opening d at the front and lower edge thereof out into the car. There are openings b 1n the upper part of the front of the refrigerating-chambers, so that there is communication through them from the interior of the car into the chamber. The ice-tanks, as shown in the drawings, do not fill the chambers., and are preferably like those shown in my Patent No. 279,062. As usually constructed, two icetanks are placed in each chamber, and immediately above each tank, in the .roof a of the car, ice-Openings a are made, through which the ice is supplied to the tanks as required. ordinary use as refrigerators-cars these openings are closed by a heavy double cover E, which is hinged to the back edge of the casin?,` e, that surrounds the ice-opening and projects slightly above the roof, the central portion of the cover tting into the interlor of this casing. Below this cover is a second or false bottom E', which is fitted into the lower part of the casing and rests upon cleats e'. The cover E is provided at its front edge with a hasp e2, fastened rigidly to the cover, bent downward over the edge, and passing over a swiveling pin or key e3, fixed in the roof, whereby the cover is fastened down.

Now it is very desirable to be able to use these cars at times for transportation offruit and other like perishable articles, which, however, must not be chilled, as in the ordinary use of refrigerator-cars- For the transportation of fruits, 85o, it is required that the car shall be very freely and fully ventilated, and the question has been how these refrigeratorcars, otherwise well adapted to the transportation of fruit, dac., could be readily and successfully ventilated as required for this purpose without removing some parts of the car or materially changing its construe tion by the addition of other parts. In my improvement I have solved this question, so that without any change in the construction ofthe car as heretofore used for refrigerating purposes it may be easily and conveniently IOO changed to a complete and thoroughly-ventilated car for the transportation of fruits, dac. In order to accomplish this I provide a frame F, which is exactly adapted to fit in the place of the cover E when the latter is thrown back. In this frame is set a sheet of wire-gauze f, which is fastened to the frame in any suitable Way,`so that when the covers of the ice-openin gs are thrown back and these frames are put in their places, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the openings into the icetanks will be covered only by wire-gauze or other like material, which will freely admit the air to pass in and out.

In order to fasten the frames in place without providing additional fixtures on the car, a hasp G is fastened to each frame in a stationary position. This hasp is similar to the one on the ordinary covers, and at the front edge is bent down like them, so as to fit over the same fastening pin or key to secure this frame at the front, the same as the hinged covers are. This hasp, however, is extended back entirely across the frame, and has a projection g at the back edge reaching beyond the frame, so as to project underneath the hinged cover when it is thrown back upon the roof of the car, as shown in Figs. 2 and-t of the drawings. This device secures the frame at its rear edge. It will be seen that with these fastening devices the Ventilating frames or covers are readily applied to or removed from the casing of the ice-openings, and are securely held in position when applied thereto. To strengthen the frame and give support to the gauze cover, I arrange a thin strip of wood g below the gauze and underneath the hasp and fasten the latter thereto by rivets g2, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. These frame are suitably packed in the interior of each refrigerator-car, and whenever it is desired to use one of the cars for carrying fruit, die., it is simply necessary to uncover the openings in the roof of the car, turn the hinged covers bac-k upon the roof, and apply the wire gauze frames, as described, and the car is ready. It will of course b e understood that for this use no ice is placed in the tank. Thus changed, when the car is in motion there will be afree current of air entering the openingsjn' the roof at one end, passing down through the ice-tanks out into the car at the bottom ofthe chambers, and also partlyat the upper portion thereof, and thence through the car, and at the otherend into and up through the chamber and ice-tanks and out through the ice-openings and wire-gauze coverings at that end. AS an illustration, Fig. 2 of the drawings is provided with arrows indicating the direction and circulation of the air. The car will thus be perfectly ventilated, and this is largely secured by the fact that the chambers and icetanks serve as passages down to the lower part of the car, through which the main body of air is carried.

Another advantage of this construction is that no damage can be done by the entrance of rain even in heavy storms. All water entering the openings in the roof will fall down through the tanks and wire-mesh boxes into the usual water-traps below and escape from the car in the usual manner without in any way injuring the contents. The wire-gauze forms a protection against the entrance of cinders, &c., thus keeping the car clean.

The improvement is very simple, cheap, and exceedingly convenient in application; but at the same time it has been found by actual and thorough trial to be of very great importance and value in the operation of these refrigerator-cars.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters through the roof of the car, the hinged covers E, and the wire-gauze frames F, provided with hasps G, having projections g, substantially as and for the-purposes specified. f

JAMES H. wIoKEs.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. HARRIS, JAMES WHITNEY. 

